Guys, It’s Floral Shirt Season

Like lavender or pink, florals have a traditionally feminine reputation in fashion and design, so they look especially modern with the most masculine stuff in your closet. Leather jacket? 100 percent. Perfectly worn-in brown suede boots? Yes, please. Black jeans, suits, beards, tattoos, Oh baby yes—they all look amazing with a floral shirt.

Now, listen, I know what you’re thinking, so let’s just assume I already made the florals reference from The Devil Wears Prada and move on, because honestly now IS the time to sport botanical vibes of all kinds! To keep it fresh this season, brands like Paul Smith, Bonobos and even H&M are mixing camp collars and new colors, exotic birds and even Hawaiian prints that won’t make you look like an embarrassing photo of your dad from 1988.

H&M Short-Sleeve Shirt, $13

I know I wrote a lengthy love letter to camp collar shirts recently, but that obsession gets even more feverish when it gets together with a subtle palm print in my (second) favorite color: marigold. And listen, if you want to come for me, noting that a palm is not a flower, I honestly don’t want to hear it.

This rich golden yellow shirt looks best on darker skin tones and my brunette boys, but if my fair skin cuties feel drawn to it too, I say go for it because its 2019 and knowing your colors is great but so is freedom!

RVCA Elegie Floral Shirt, $55

This shirt is what I imagine a gorgeous surfer dude would wear to a funeral—and I mean that in the absolute best-possible way. It’s low-key and beachy while also being sharp enough that you could dress it up a notch with dark jeans and a bomber jacket.

Bonobos Riviera Shirt, $88

Over at #SGHQ we have an old saying that goes, “What do you mean you don’t own a Riviera shirt?!” It’s uttered in disbelief anytime we encounter a guy who does not yet own Bonobos’ soon-to-be-iconic short-sleeve button-up shirt. This season it comes in—wait for it—47 colors and prints. This one is called “green scheming birds” for crying out loud! It’s so good!

Vineyard Vines Murray Sport Shirt, $90

LOL I know you’re probably like, “Wait sorry are you kidding me with this Vineyard Vines shit!?” but I am not. I know it might be a little crazy to suggest that a brand whose founder story involves two guys “selling ties so they didn’t have to wear them” might actually make a cool, modern shirt. But yo, I love this print and believe in my true heart that you can make it look modern with slim jeans and a pair of leather sneakers.

Paul Smith Floral Shirt, $315

The retro vibes of this shirt (another cool camp collar option) make me want to book a trip to Cuba and don a Panama hat and maybe learn to play the ukulele—but in a cool, unironic way. I love the way Mr Porter styled it on the website with a pair of cropped chinos and sneakers with a t-shirt underneath, but if you wore it to a wedding with a linen suit and a no-socks loafer look I would also be extremely into that.

J.Crew Factory Slim Flex Shirt, $25

Speaking of weddings, I wanted to include a couple of long-sleeve floral shirts that should absolutely make their way into your spring and summer wedding ‘fits. Imagine this crazy-affordable mini-floral shirt from J.Crew factory with a slim suit and a linen tie in a soft solid color or big stripe. Are you seeing it? Look how handsome you are in this combo. Get up there and give a toast—it’s your time to shine!

ASOS Design Skinny Fit Floral Shirt, $40

This one too! If you’re looking for a bold-yet-sophisticated floral print you could get away with at a formal event or at a work event, might I suggest this ASOS Design shirt? You could downplay the florals under charcoal or navy suit, or really let it pop with khaki chinos. Honestly, your coworkers won’t know what hit ‘em when you show up to Karen From marketing’s farewell rooftop drinks.